Dominique Ansel Exposes the Story Behind the Cronut™

Dominique Ansel has made a name for himself with one of the most creative food crazes to ever hit the country (his decadent Cronuts™). Now, we chat with him about his involvement in the New York City Wine & Food Festival and his best advice for home bakers.

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What inspired the Cronut™? Where do you seek out inspiration for your other creative creations?

We create new things all the time here at the bakery, and change the entire menu every six to eight weeks. The Cronut™ was just one other item. I was making some snacks for our team during our manager's meeting and they requested a doughnut. But being French, I didn't have any tried and true doughnut recipes, so I decided to take inspiration from my roots and created the Cronut™. On Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, he summed it up well. He said I made a "very French doughnut".

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Were you surprised by the response to it?

I think the whole world was shocked. Nobody has ever seen this kind of passion for a pastry item in years. And the speed at which it spread. We had lines out the door by the second day, and it's just been growing since.

You are a quintessentially New York bakery. What excites you the most about being involved in NYCWFF?

It's always the fans and the peers. The NYCWFF draws a phenomenal crowd of guests and chefs. It's a little community and the energy is contagious. As it should be -- this is New York City, after all.

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What culinary figures are you most excited to connect with at the event?

It's great to [see] Mario Batali [who] is hosting the Jets Tailgate Event that we'll be participating in, and I'm always happy to see Papa (Daniel Boulud) anytime for our Family Meal event. And I'll be making a little appearance for Bid for Hunger - Eric Ripert and I have been working on something special for the auction.

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What are your favorite sweets to eat? Do you have any go to spots around the city?

Believe it or not, I don't usually eat sweets. I taste sugary-things all day long and so I crave salt by the end of the day. Although, I do love a strong affogato anywhere I can find one.

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What advice do you have for home bakers looking to experiment in their kitchens?

What is the biggest mistake you see people make when baking and what's your advice for fixing it?

A lot of home cooks start a recipe without the right tools. But baking is a very precise game and you've got to get the right tools to do it properly. Beating egg whites by hand is no where near as painless and effective as doing it with a Kitchen Aid. And you'll need a gram scale for lots of recipes that you can't simply eyeball. Invest in the proper tools and if the cookbook is good, the recipe will come out.

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Do you have any sort of mantra or thought you constantly keep in mind while working?

We have lots of mantras here. At the moment, it's "Yes We Can!" because we've got to get ourselves ready for any challenge. A three hundred person order in less than six hours? A custom crafted croquembouche last minute? Yes, we can!

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What interested you about baking and pastries that turn you on to this profession?

The perfect blending of science and art. It's the perfect balance of right and left brain.